World News in Prayer June 1, 2017

God, our creator, we thank you for you spoke the world into being for good and send your empowering Spirit on all. Forgive us when it is easy to look at all the events which the news media highlights and think nothing ever changes. Yet as the world turns and we move into astronomical summer / winter we see changes in our world.

We give thanks that there is a doctor in the Nuba Mountains, Sudan – the only permanent doctor for 750,000 people, Dr Tom Catena from New York, USA has received the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity for performing more than 1,000 operations a year in Sudan. Currently there is only 1 doctor per 100,000 people in South Sudan. We pray that others may be inspired to join them and pray for many doctors held incommunicado for months by the Sudanese government.

We give thanks that US scientists have re-engineered a new version of Vancomycin (Vancocin), a vital antibiotic, in a bid to wipe out one of the world’s most threatening superbugs and bless your name that you give such skills.

We are aware that a cause for thanks for some at the same causes distress for others. The announcement that Three Mile Island nuclear power plant near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA is to close might bring joy to some while it means loss of employment to others.

As U.S. President Trump considers the Paris Climate Agreement we read of changes caused by global warming such as the hybridisation of puffer fish causing problems in the Japanese and other fishing fleets and fish restaurants. You, the creator of all, have provided resources for our needs but not greed. Open our eyes to work in harmony together as people as well as with the bountiful resources you have provided that we do not threaten our planet for this and future generations.

We, who expect good medical care, read with dismay of the deaths caused by dialysis problems in Vietnam and the cholera outbreak in Yemen already hit by drought and starvation due to blockades and armed interventions of a coalition led by Saudi Arabia.

We pray with the people of Moscow, Russia where 16 people died following thunderstorms which swept across Europe. We uphold the people of Bangladesh now being lashed by Cyclone Mora.

We pray for the people of Manchester, England, Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland (pop. 1100) and Baghdad, Iraq following suicide bombings. We continue to hold to Your protecting care the Coptic Christians in Egypt, repeatedly subjected to murderous attacks; and for the people of Kabul, Afghanistan where a sewage tanker bomb has killed at least 90 and injured many more civilians in the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

We pray for the the people of Libya and for the people of the Philippines where battles are being fought with supporters of ISIS in Marawi City and Manila. We pray too for the General Election in the UK on 8 June that this might be a time of courage, honesty and commitment to the good of all rather than the vested interests of the few as we pray this for all in any position of leadership, influence or power throughout the world.

Come, Holy Spirit, gracious Heavenly dove; come fire of Love: teach us, God of all, to love and live in peace and justice respecting one another.

Lord, wherever we look we see change and yet claim “things never change”. Help us not to be blinded by news reports but to remember we are sent to bring Good News “our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,” (Phil 3:20 RSV). May we bring glory to your name when we make a difference to change the world. Amen

Gratitudes

December 28, 2013

In October, Pope Francis formally gave permission for Roman Catholic masses in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas to be celebrated in Tzotzil and Tzeltal, the two native languages that are the only languages spoken by 65% of the population […]